The present invention relates to thienopyridine derivatives. The thienopyridine derivatives show a serotonin-3 (hereinafter referred to as 5-HT.sub.3) antagonizing activity and are useful as medicinal agents.
It is known that 5-HT.sub.3 antagonists exhibit an antiemetic activity, an antianxious activity, a suppressing activity of mental disorders, a suppressing activity of migraine, etc. [Trends in Pharmacological Sciences, 8, 501 (1987)]. Particularly, 5-HT.sub.3 antagonists are effective against carcinostatic agent-induced vomiting, which has not been cured by dopamine antagonists. The 5-HT.sub.3 antagonists are thus expected to be antiemetics of new type [Br. J. Cancer, 56, 159 (1987)].
As thienopyridine derivatives, compounds (A) having the 4-hydroxythieno[2,3-b]pyridin-6-one skeleton are described in J. Chem. Res. (S), 214 (1985) and J. Chem. Res. (S), 122 (1986): ##STR2## wherein R represents hydrogen or methyl and Y represents hydrogen or ethoxycarbonyl.
Furthermore, compounds (B) having the 7-hydroxythieno[3,2-b]pyridin-5-one skeleton are described in J. Chem. Res. (S), 6 (1980) and J. Chem. Res. (S), 84 (1984): ##STR3## wherein R represents hydrogen or methyl and Y represents hydrogen, ethoxycarbonyl, nitrile, acetyl or the like.
In compounds (A) and (B), their pharmacological activities are unknown.